British Air Ferries
I have happy memories of positioning Aberdeen-Sumburgh on BAF's Viscounts, huge windows, such a pleasant way to travel.
Many years later the AOC of the new startup I joined was piggybacked on BAF's and my 146 conversion was done in the proper way - chalk and talk - by an exceptionally wise old engineer whose name I have shamefully forgotten. Once airborne our early line training was under the auspices of BAF and often on their routes too. I recall one trip to some snow-strip in Norway (Dagali?) where as far as I could see from the jumpseat we were simply landing on a big unmarked snowpatch in a forest, though I was assured braking action was produced by the distribution of hot sand...The wonderful 146 coped just fine - as it always did.
The old-fashioned (may I swear here?) airmanship and self-reliance of those BAF pilots was all too short an introduction into how the fixed-wing mentality could be so similar to rotary before our own totally-civvy-inexperienced RAF derived 'training' department took over and practicality and thoughtfulness went south from there.
Good memories!
Many years later the AOC of the new startup I joined was piggybacked on BAF's and my 146 conversion was done in the proper way - chalk and talk - by an exceptionally wise old engineer whose name I have shamefully forgotten. Once airborne our early line training was under the auspices of BAF and often on their routes too. I recall one trip to some snow-strip in Norway (Dagali?) where as far as I could see from the jumpseat we were simply landing on a big unmarked snowpatch in a forest, though I was assured braking action was produced by the distribution of hot sand...The wonderful 146 coped just fine - as it always did.
The old-fashioned (may I swear here?) airmanship and self-reliance of those BAF pilots was all too short an introduction into how the fixed-wing mentality could be so similar to rotary before our own totally-civvy-inexperienced RAF derived 'training' department took over and practicality and thoughtfulness went south from there.
Good memories!
Join Date: May 2002
Location: glasgow
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In 1988 I was waiting to board a BA flight from Inverness to Glasgow which was being operated by BAF Herald G-BAVX.
There were no staff around at boarding time so a passenger decided to self board.
The only other plane was a Dan Air 1-11 so he obviously chose it with the other passengers trailing behind.
Security was a bit different in those days.
There were no staff around at boarding time so a passenger decided to self board.
The only other plane was a Dan Air 1-11 so he obviously chose it with the other passengers trailing behind.
Security was a bit different in those days.
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Felixstowe, UK
Age: 86
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BAF memories
First ever flight Belfast-Isle-of-Man Viscount
Then a few BFS-JER summer hols
Fast forward 10 years and I'm a despatcher at BFS handling the nightly BAF Viscount bringing 7 tons of The Sun newspaper to Belfast. We'd offload that and then load 7 tons of live eels for Amsterdam.
Daytime work in the summer was the Jersey flights. Standing on the sunny ramp hearing the whistling Darts rushing up the taxiway and then park for a quick turnround.
I did get a ride on one when going to a friends wedding - empty positioning BFS-SOU. We were very high for a Viscount, maybe over 30,000 ft. Then standing for the SOU landing. Wonderful.
First ever flight Belfast-Isle-of-Man Viscount
Then a few BFS-JER summer hols
Fast forward 10 years and I'm a despatcher at BFS handling the nightly BAF Viscount bringing 7 tons of The Sun newspaper to Belfast. We'd offload that and then load 7 tons of live eels for Amsterdam.
Daytime work in the summer was the Jersey flights. Standing on the sunny ramp hearing the whistling Darts rushing up the taxiway and then park for a quick turnround.
I did get a ride on one when going to a friends wedding - empty positioning BFS-SOU. We were very high for a Viscount, maybe over 30,000 ft. Then standing for the SOU landing. Wonderful.
The Viscount performance always impressed me as I had previously flown the Argosy. My most memorable moment was when I first handled the Viscount as a co-pilot while still in the RAF. We were practising a three engine take off when the instructor pulled back another throttle on the same side for a two engine take-off.
I remember applying quite a lot of rudder with the sight of grass a few inches below the wheels! The Argosy would have sunk straight back onto the runway due to its extra weight.
As I drift into retirement, I need something to replace these adrenaline stirring moments.
In 1979-80 I made multiple business trips to Southend, for which the hotel provided was the Airport, seemingly still there on the west side. Parked right behind the room was the hulk of the last Carvair, Plain Jane, which seemed just abandoned there. I think the aircraft museum that used to be there had their eyes on it, but eventually the whole museum closed. There was no fencing, just walked across to inspect the aircraft a few times. The hotel was right by the 06 threshhold, and at about 1am there were a couple of BAF Herald night freight departures to Europe which would spool up and wake everyone up. Noisy old Darts.
Must have been about 1984 I was at the hotel again just when BAF had bought the old BA Viscount fleet, in the week there a different one used to turn up each afternoon, I believe being ferried in from storage at Cardiff. Presumably the crew went over each morning on the train or whatever and ferried it back.
There was a great account in Propliner magazine in the 1980s by one of a BAF Herald crew about a fascinating charter, including a couple of dicey moments, to support the "Paris to Dakar" road rally, a significant sporting event of the era across the Sahara. Presumably the experience of subcharters to Air Algerie described above served them well.
Must have been about 1984 I was at the hotel again just when BAF had bought the old BA Viscount fleet, in the week there a different one used to turn up each afternoon, I believe being ferried in from storage at Cardiff. Presumably the crew went over each morning on the train or whatever and ferried it back.
There was a great account in Propliner magazine in the 1980s by one of a BAF Herald crew about a fascinating charter, including a couple of dicey moments, to support the "Paris to Dakar" road rally, a significant sporting event of the era across the Sahara. Presumably the experience of subcharters to Air Algerie described above served them well.
There was a great account in Propliner magazine in the 1980s by one of a BAF Herald crew about a fascinating charter, including a couple of dicey moments, to support the "Paris to Dakar" road rally, a significant sporting event of the era across the Sahara. Presumably the experience of subcharters to Air Algerie described above served them well.
